By Kelly Eve

Last updated at 11:32, Saturday, 05 February 2011

The University of Cumbria has named the local man who is taking over its top job following its recovery from a £30 million financial crisis.

Peter Strike

Internationally-renowned geneticist Professor Peter Strike, who was born and raised in Barrow, will take over as vice chancellor in August from Professor Graham Upton, who was an interim appointment.

Dr Strike, currently deputy vice chancellor (research, knowledge exchange and business engagement) at the University of Sunderland, has also held senior positions at the universities of Liverpool, Edinburgh Napier and Northumbria.

Yesterday, Cumbria University’s chairman Stephen Henwood paid tribute to Dr Upton.

In May 2010 he stepped in to spearhead a turnaround of the institution following the shock departure of Professor Peter McCaffery, who left after less than a year in the job.

Mr Henwood said: “I am delighted to find such a strong candidate for vice chancellor to take the University of Cumbria through its next stage of development. Peter’s distinguished academic career and extensive experience in management and leadership positions makes him particularly qualified for this role.”

“I want to pay tribute to Graham Upton for the excellent job he has done in positioning the university so that it is able to look forward to the future with confidence and I am sure Peter will build on the success foundation laid by Graham and his colleagues.”

Dr Strike, 62, has enjoyed an impressive career which has seen him clock up nearly 30 years of research and teaching at the University of Liverpool. He has also served as a vice principal at Edinburgh Napier University before moving on to the University of Northumbria in Newcastle.

He said: “I am genuinely delighted to be returning to the region in which I grew up and to be given the opportunity to lead the University of Cumbria into the next phase of its development.

“Although the university itself is relatively new, many of its component parts have, for many years, played a major part in the cultural and economic life of the region.

“The challenge for me, and for my senior team, is to continue to build on this legacy, creating a vibrant institution of high academic merit that provides opportunities for all those who wish to benefit from the experience of higher education.”

After his education at Barrow’s Grammar School for Boys, Dr Strike was awarded a BSc (Hons) in biochemistry from the University of Sussex and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

His research has centred on DNA repair and mutation, which has resulted in him receiving fellowships and awards from an array of leading bodies including the Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, Nuffield Foundation, and World Health Organisation.

He has also written over 70 publications and considers one of his major achievements to be the 47 PhD students he has supervised throughout his career.

First published at 09:13, Saturday, 05 February 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk